Foreign Minister Wang Yi Photo: Xinhua

In response to a question about how China views the development of China-India relations in the context of the current global upheaval and whether it's possible for China and India to establish a lasting relationship, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Friday at a press conference on China's foreign policy and external relations that China has always believed that being mutually supportive partners and achieving the "Dragon and Elephant Dance" is the only correct choice for both sides.

China-India relations made positive strides over the past year. In October last year, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi successfully met in Kazan, Russia, providing strategic guidance for improving and developing China-India relations, Wang said. 

Both sides have earnestly implemented the important consensus reached by the two leaders, strengthening exchanges at all levels and practical cooperation, resulting in a series of positive outcomes. As the two largest developing countries, our shared task is to accelerate the development and revitalization of our respective countries. Both sides should support each other, rather than consume each other, cooperate closely rather than be wary of each other, as this is in the fundamental interest of both countries and their peoples, Wang noted. 

He stressed that as two ancient civilizations, we have the wisdom and ability to maintain peace and stability in the border areas until a fair and reasonable solution is found. We must uphold the principle of not defining bilateral relations by border issues and ensure that specific differences do not affect the overall direction of bilateral relations.

Also, as important members of the Global South, China and India also have the responsibility to take the lead in opposing hegemonism and power politics, Wang said. We should not only safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of both countries but also uphold the fundamental principles of international relations. When China and India join hands, the democratization of international relations and the growth of the Global South will have great hope.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and India. China is willing to work with India to summarize our experiences, open up new possibilities for the future, and promote the healthy and stable development of China-India relations, Wang noted. 

Global Times